The Houston Bale Sale, February 12th

Tables loaded with homemade treats will push boxed candy to the back of the shelf when the legendary Houston Bake Sale returns to Texas Children's
Hospital on Friday, Feb. 12. The sale comes just in time for Valentine's Day giving, not just to Texans' sweethearts, but also to kids across the country who are battling neuroblastoma. Anyone can support the effort, even if they are thousands of miles from the Lone Star State. (See below for details on how.)

But, first, the treats: Dozens of cookies, cupcakes, bars and more are home-baked and prettily packaged by National Charity League members from The Woodlands and Montgomery, as well as families and friends of children battling neuroblastoma. All proceeds from the sale benefit the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, so we can continue to support research, clinical trials and education programs to raise awareness of the disease.

These bake sales, if you don't know them by now, are a tradition. The Houston Bake Sale dates to 2008, when Lara Cady Weberling started it while her son Hans was undergoing neuroblastoma treatment at Texas Children's. The Weberlings have since moved to California, but Blair and Kim Adkins and Julie Frampton took over in memory of Hans, who Blair met and grew to love while working with Hans' mom at a YMCA child care center more than a decade ago.

"Now Blair and his wife are running this crazy bake sale, and they have seven children of their own!" Lara Weberling says in gratitude.

Gratitude is also one of the reasons Blair Adkins is overseeing the bake sale. About five years ago a welt on his stomach prompted him to see a doctor.
He was diagnosed with a rare skin cancer just after turning 30. "The first person we called was Lara," he said. "She got me in contact with people who put together a benefit walk for me. I had to have surgery but it didn't spread. I'm fine now."

He and his team will be presiding over brisk sales, starting at 9 a.m. Feb. 12, until items sell out, typically around 3 p.m., on the 4th-floor skywalk at Texas Children's. Those who want to support the effort from afar can go online to donate. It's easy: Visit www.cncfhope.org, click "Donate Now" and select "Houston Bake Sale" from the drop-down menu.

I thank you, as always, for your heartfelt support, and wish you and your family the sweetest Valentine's Day yet.